Princess of Roses

Chapter 4: Alone?

Astri

This was getting too peaceful. I should have known trouble would find us before long. Sighing internally, I wait for them to state what exactly their "unfinished business" is. Normally, a confrontation like this would have me attacking on instinct, but in this instance that reaction isn't suitable.

I can't attack civilians. I won't. It goes against almost everything I believe in.

Hopefully it doesn't come down to a situation where I would need to. The group looks angry as they draw nearer and it makes something inside me recoil. A faint flicker of memory superimposing on top of their faces. My body tenses on reflex as a phantom sensation of pain lacing my stomach jars me.

Thankfully, Theo's gaze is fixed on the approaching group and theirs on him, so it goes unnoticed. Leaving me enough time to shake myself to clear it and relax my body again. I don't know why I'm reacting this way at all. It's an old memory. Surely regaining all the others has made it go away.

Evidently it hasn't. That little voice in the back of my head really does have terrible timing.

In any case, it will have to wait until later. My body is already preparing for a fight as a man points a finger at Theo. I notice the people behind him are clinging tightly to shovels. That's concerning. I should probably keep an eye on that.

"Why are you still here!" The man scowls at Theo, "Haven't you done enough?"

"We don't want you here!"

"After all you have done, what right do you have to stay!?"

"We lost so much because of you!"

Through all the shouts and pointed fingers, Theo remains silent. A glance to the side tells me he's resigned to this treatment and doesn't want to escalate it by reacting. Objectively I know it's the right decision to make, but it still doesn't sit right with me. It's annoying.

Selfish as it is, a part of me wants him to react to it. The stupid part of me that's neither a princess nor some kind of guardian. And the part that might just makes things worse if I let it take control.

"I know you're angry," I begin, "and you have every right to be, but I don't believe this is the time for this."

"It's exactly the time for it!"

"Why are you trying to defend him!? He's a monster!"

So, I suppose diplomacy is out of the question. Truthfully, I feel stunned. I don't know what to say to their accusations. I thought I'd be able to think of a response now that it's not catching me off guard, but that was just wishful thinking. I...Thought the attacking enemies would have made them lose at least a part of the momentum.

"That is quite enough," I command instead. "This is not the time."

"Who are you to-"

"I am the princess," my head tilts up as I pin them with a sharp glance that has their mouths closing. "And I'd advise you to watch how you speak to me. I understand it has been a while since you've interacted with royalty, but you should know better than that."

When they flinch at the tone, I start to hope that it has gotten through to them. The disrespect was starting to grate on me. It's not something I can just ignore. Even without the countless lessons on disrespect breeding discontent I remember my mother giving me. I remember a law that states continued disrespect was grounds for treason.

It's an old law we never got around to changing. Not that I would use it on them. It's even more extreme than starting a fight. But I have a feeling that there are people who would. So I need to nip this problem at the bud.